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PhotogiBphic 

Sciences 
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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  histonques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  tachniquas  at  bibliographiquas 


Tha  jnstituta  haa  attamptad  to  obtain  the  bast 
original  cooy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographicrlly  uniqua, 
which  may  aitar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
tha  uaual  mathod  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


n 


Coloured  covera/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


r~~|    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagie 


□    Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^  at/ou  pellicul^e 

n    Cover  title  missing/ 
La  tJtra  da  couverture  manque 

□    Coloured  maps/ 
Cartas  giographiques  ar  coulaur 

□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illuatrations/ 


D 
D 


G 


n 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relii  avec  d'autrea  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  ur  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serree  peut  cau«:«.r  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  intirieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout^es 
lors  dune  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte. 
mais,  lorsque  cela  itait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  iti  film^es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplimentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  iti  possible  de  se  procurer.  Las  details 
de  C4t  exemplaire  qui  sont  paut-^tre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvvnt  mociifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  una 
modification  dans  la  mithode  normale  de  filmaga 
sont  indiquto  ci-dessous. 


r~n    Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 


□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restauries  et/ou  pelliculdes 

E    Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolor^es,  tacheties  ou  piqui 


piquees 


I      I    Pages  detached/ 


D 


Pages  ditachees 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  inAgale  de  ('impression 

Includes  supplementary  materia 
Comprend  du  material  supplementaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  (Edition  disponibie 


I  I  Showthrough/ 

I  I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

r  I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I  I  Only  edition  available/ 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc..  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Las  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata.  une  peiure 
etc..  ont  iht6  fllm^es  i  nouveau  de  facon  ^ 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  posfi'jie. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 
Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 
10X  14X  IdX  22X 


12X 


1GX 


20X 


26X 


30X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


Th«  copy  filmed  h«r«  ha*  b—n  r«produc«d  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

McLennan  Library 
McGiM  linivertity 
Montreal 

Tha  imagas  appaaring  haira  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  laglbility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacifications. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
beginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  lllustratad  impras- 
sion,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriate.  Ail 
othar  original  copiaa  ara  filmed  beginning  on  the 
f^'st  page  with  a  printad  or  illustrated  imprea- 
sion,  snd  ending  on  the  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illustrated  impreasion. 


Tha  last  recorded  frame  on  aach  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  —^(meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  appliaa. 

Maps,  platas,  charts,  6tc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  ara  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exempiaire  film*  fut  reproduit  grice  i  la 
ginirositi  da: 

McLennan  Library 
McGill  University 
Montreal 

Las  images  suivantas  ont  4t«  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin.  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  nettet*  de  I'exempiaire  film*,  et  en 
conformity  avec  lea  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmagtf. 

Lea  exemplairaa  originaux  dont  !a  couvarture  en 
papier  eat  imprimte  sont  flim^s  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  pr«r  la 
darnlAre  paga  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impresslon  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  le  caa.  Toua  lea  outros  axemplairas 
originaux  sonc  filmAs  en  commengant  par  la 
pramiire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impreasion  ou  d'illustration  at  en  terminant  par 
la  darnlAre  paga  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  dea  symboles  sulvants  apparattra  sur  la 
darnlAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  sdlon  le 
cas:  la  symbols  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Lee  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
fiimte  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diff«rents. 
Lorsque  la  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  eet  film*  *  pertir 
de  I'angia  supArleur  gauche,  de  gauche  k  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  baa,  an  pranent  la  nombre 
d'imagea  nAcaeaaira.  Las  diagrammea  suivanta 
iilustrent  la  methods. 


12  3 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

A  LETTER  TO  A  FRIEND. 


PHILADELPHIA,  liovcmber  2G,  1838. 

Mv  Deau  Sir —  ,  i         i      1.1        i 

You  have  not  been  wrongly  informed.  I  am  not  ashamed,  although 
one  may  well  be  afraid,  to  confess,  that  I  sympathize  with  the  Canadians, 
and  desire  to  see  them  independent.  Bui,  while  such  is  the  bent  of  my 
inclination,  far  am  I  from  calling  in  question  the  correctness  of  the  mo- 
tives of  those,  who  differ  from    me.     As  in  all  the  instances,   in  whicii  I 

may  have  dissented  from  you,  and  our  friend  W -,  I  barely  ask  to  be 

heard  dispassionately.  It  is  very  true,  as  you  say,  that,  1  reprobated  in- 
terference in  the  affairs  of  Mexico ;  or  rather,  I  condemned  the  course  of 
our  (Tovernmcnt,  in  conniving  at  the  invasion  of  that  country  but,  1  see 
no  iSconsistency,  between  what  I  said  then  as  to  Texas,  aim  what  I  say 
now,  in  relation  to  Canada.  The  cases  are,  in  all  essential  circumstances, 
different,  as  I  shall  endeavor  to  show ;  and  the  very  distinction  makes  the 
conduct  of  our  government,  on  the  several  occasions,  the  more  shame- 
fully inconsistent  and  reprehensible. 

What  language  can  so  well  describe,  the  impropriety  of  our  conduct  to 
Mexico,  as  the  denunciations,  now  pronounced,  against  sympathy  for 
Canada?  What  rebuke,  to  our  late  President,  can  be  so  bitter  as  the 
pioclamation  of  his  successor,  who  promised  to  tread  m  his  fool-steps  ? 
How  can  such  glaring  contrasts  be  reconciled  ?  And  yet,  those,  wlio 
tossed  up  their  caps  for  the  one,  now  hurl  them  m  the  air  for  the  other : 

It  never  was  pretended,  that  Mexicans,  or  natives  of  that  part  of  Mexico 
called  Texas,  complained  of  any  tyranny,  or  that  they  were  in  revolt  there. 
The  Mexicans  were  all  of  one  origin,  religion,  and  inlorest.  1  hose,  who 
dwelt  in  Texas,  were  a  part  of  a  common  family,  cemented  by  the  ties  of 
nationality  and  kindred  blood.  They  were  contented  with  their  lot,  and 
willin<r  to  sliarc  the  common  destiny  of  their  countrymen. 

Wlw,  then,  were  the  insurgents  in  Texas?  Almost  to  a  man,  Anglo- 
American  citizens  who  had  gone  there  on  speculation.  To  sustain  this 
sort  of  insurrection,  volunicers  were  openly  invited,  mustered,  armed  and 
marched  from  the  United  States.  No  inleriuplion  was  offered  !  No 
arrests  were  altempled  !  No  proclamation  was  issued  !  On  the  contrary, 
a  part  of  our  regular  armv  was  sent  into  the  Mexican  Territory  ;  look  po.st 
there  ;  and  miu'e  a  powerful  diversion  in  favor  of  ihose,  who  went  to  lake 
what  <!id  not  luMou"-  to  thenu  Instead  of  denouncing  those  truly  lawless 
proceedings,  grave^senators,  in  their  places,  applauded  them.  Instead  of 
lamenting  the  disposition  of  men,  with  Saxon  blood  in  their  veins,  to 
divide,  o'vcrcomc  and  oppress  the  weak,  (as  men  of  Saxon  blood  have 
almost  always  done)  our  senators  boasted  of  the  inclination,  as  well  as  of 
^  1 


llie  ability,  to  conquer  an  unoffending  neighboui !  To  such  an  extent, 
indeed,  was  this  spirit  difl*used,  that  but  few  persons  dared  to  utter  the  sound 
of  remonstrance  ! 

What  had  Mexico  ever  done,  to  warrant  such  a  wanton  disregard  of  lier 
rights?  Had  she  been  our  own  old  task-master?  Had  we  waged  war 
with  her  ?  Had  she  ever  aroused  the  savages  to  devastate  our  frontiers? 
Had  she  sent  emissaries  to  effect  a  dissolution  of  our  Union  ?  Had  any 
of  her  people  come  into  our  waters,  in  the  dead  of  night,  and  murdered 
those  found  on  board  one  of  our  vessels  ?  Nothing  of  this  kind  had  ever 
taken  place.  If  there  ever  had  been  any  cause  of  complaint,  a  late  treaty 
had  obliterated  all  rememberance  of  it. 

If  we  had  no  complaint  as  to  the  past,  what  fears  existed,  as  to  the 
future  ?  We  had  not  the  one,  any  more  than  the  other.  Our  own  sound- 
est policy  was,  to  have  a  paf-sive  neighbour  on  such  a  frontier,  and  not  a 
colony  of  adventurers.  If  we  interfered  at  all  in  the  affairs  of  [Mexicans, 
it  should  have  been,  to  cheer,  to  advise,  and  protect  them  in  their  weakness; 
especially  as,  in  defiance  of  prejudices,  they  were  trying  to  establish  a 
republic  like  our  own  ;  and  yet,  we  made  all  but  open  war  upon  them,  in 
favor  of  our  own  invading  citizens  !  We  did  so,  ere  the  seal  on  our  treaty 
with  them  was  dry  ! 

Is    there  the   smallest   resemblance    between   the  cases  of  Texas  and 
Canada  ?     I  have  briefly  stated  the  one,  let  me  now  refer  to  the  other. 

The  Canadians  were  conquered  by  the  English,  and   have  been  ever 
since  held  in  bondage  by  them.     They  are  separated  from  them,  less  by 
the  broad  Atlantic,  than  in  origin,  religion  and  interest.     So  little  did  they 
assimilate,  that,  when  our  own  revolution  broke  out  in  1775,  the  English 
feared  that  the  Canadians  also  would  revolt.     So  natural  did  this  course 
appear  to  ourselves,  that  we  invited  them  to  throw  off"  a  foreign  yoke.     It 
is  true,  the  Canadians  did  not  obey  our  call ;  but  their  inactivity  was  not 
owing  to  any  fondness  for  the  English,  or  to  any  dislike  towards  us.     On 
the  contrary,  when  the  troops  under  Montgomery,  and  those  under  Arnold, 
penetrated  their  country,  no  Canadian  arm  was  lifted  against  them ;  and 
when  our  countrymen  were  discomfitted,  if  ti.e  C    ndians  had  not  helped 
them  in  battle,  they  poured  oil  into  their  wound;,  yhen  it  was  over.     The 
true  causes  of  their  inactivity  were,  their  peculiarly  pacific   habits,  and 
their  submission  to  their  clergy.     The  English  artfully  appealed   to  their 
French  feelings,  and  to  their  religious   prejudices.     They  were  told,  that 
by  a  connection  with  the  Puritans  of  New  England,    their  own  Catholic 
faith  would  be  trampled  upon,  and  their  religious  houses  desecrated. 

Again — When  the  French  revolution  occurred,  a  revolt  in  Canada  was 
apprehended;  and  then  a  new  course,  of  conciliation,  was  resorted  to. 
The  maintenance  of  French  civil  laws  was  guarameed,  and  even  a  consti- 
tution was  granted.  What  was  refused  to  the  thirteen  colonies,  in  1775, 
at  tlie  point  of  the  bayonet,  was  granted  to  the  Canadians,  without  solicita- 
tion, in  17DI  :  that' is,  the  right  of  levying  taxes  and  appropriating 
revenue.  No  taxes  were  to  be  levied,  or  revenue  appropriated,  without 
the  consent  of  the  local  legislature.  The  exercise,  of  this  constitutional 
and  eoiK-edod  rights  was,  however,  at  no  time,  fully  enjoyed.  Swarms  of 
crown  officers  were  scut  to  Canada,  just  as  they  had  been  sent  to  the 
thirteen  colonies,  "to  harrass  the  people  and  eat  out  their  substance." — 
Those  stipendiaries  did  not  choose  to  have  their  salaries  regidated  according 


.3 


to  the  simple  and  economical  principles  of  America,  but  agreeably  to  the 
luxurious  and  extravagant  practices  in  England.  When  the  representa- 
tives of  the  Canadians,  therefore,  called  fur  accounts,  of  the  way  in  which 
the  revenue  was  expended,  several  of  them  were  sent  to  prison ;  and, 
when,  in  consequence,  the  supplies  were  manfully  stopped  by  the  legisla- 
ture, its  hall  was  closed  by  an  armed  force.  "  Repealed  petitions  were 
only  answered  by  repeated  injury."  The  operation  of  laws  was  suspended. 
Force  was  subsiiUUed.  And,  at  last,  resistance  became  not  merely  allow- 
able, but  obligatory. 

'I'he  consequent  scenes  in  Canada  have  become  familiar  to  us.  They 
are  such  as  the  present  lord  chancellor  Plunkett  described,  with  reference 
to  Ireland.  The  Union,  of  that  country  wiih  England,  was  not  brought 
about,  merely  by  the  distribution  of  ihiee  millions  of  pounds  in  bribes; 
but,  as  he  teils  us,  by  "  the  forcible  suppression  of  public  meetings — the  use 
of  armed  violence — Uie  denial  of  legal  protection — trials  by  court  marlial— 
and  the  familiar  use  of  the  torture."  If  the  triangle  is  not  in  use 
in  Canada,  gibbets,  capable  of  bearing  heavy  burdens,  are  substituted,  and 
the  torch  deva^^tates  whole  districts  ! 

The  revolt  in  Canada,  therefore,  is  no  fiction,  like  that  in  Texas.  Our 
own  example  has  been  steadily  followed — long  suffering,  and  resistance 
only  when  oppression  became  intolerable.  The  revolters  really  are  Ca- 
nadians. The  banished,  the  hanged,  and  the  burnt-out  had  all  "  a  local 
habitation  and  a  name"  there.  It  is  true,  they  are  called  rebels,  traitors 
and  brigands,  by  loyalists  there,  and  loyalists  here;  and  prices  are  set 
upon  the  heads  of  some  of  them ;  but  we  ought  not  to  forget,  that  Hancock 
and  Adams  were  put  out  of  the  pale  of  mercy;  and  that  all,  who  look  part 
with  them  were  proscribed,  as  Papineau  and  Nelson  now  are. 

In  this  instance,  however,  no  volunteers  are  openly  equipped  and 
marched  frfmi  our  borders.  No  General  Gaines  takes  post  in  Canada,  to 
give  countenance  to  the  invaders.  No  loans  are  opened  m  our  exchanges. 
No  editors  become  partners  in  a  projected  partition  of  Canadian  lands. — 
No  appeals  are  made,  by  men  in  high  places,  to  the  "glorious  spirit  which 
mingles  with  Saxon  blood."  On  the  contrary,  our  whole  civil  and  mili- 
tary power  is  arrayed,  to  prevent  our  citizens  from  interfering  in  the 
conflict  in  Canada;  and  proclamations  are  issued,  not  only  forbidding  any 
violation  of  neutral  obligations,  but  announcing  to  the  British  officers,  that 
the  American  government  will,  in  no  way,  interfere  to  prevent  the  infliction 
of  punishment  upon  such   of  our  citizL.is,   as   may  be  made  prisoners ! 

That  is,  the  invaders  of  Texas,  where  there  was  no  tyranny  or  revolt, 
were  cheered  on  their  way  to  conquest;  and  the  volunteers,  who  went  to 
aid  oppressed  neighbors,  in  Canada,  where  there  is  tyranny  and  conse- 
quent revolt,  are  doomed  to  the  gibbet!  General  Jackson  himself  aroused 
a  spirit,  unfavorable  to  unoffending  Mexico :  Mr.  Van  Buren  throws  his 
whole  influence  against  unfortunate  Canada !  Weak  Mexico  is  bereft  of 
two  of  her  Provinces,  and  mighty  England  is  helped  to  keep  hers  in 
chains ! 

If  Mexico  had  done  nothing  to  warrant  outrage  upon  her;  and,  if  we 
had  no  apprehension  of  her  power  or  machinations,  hereafter,  how  stands 
the  matter  as  to  England  ?  If  the  events  of  the  last  war,  balanced  accounts 
up  to  that  time  ;  if  nothing  need  be  said  of  the  northern  boundary  ;  if  the 
burning  of  the  Caroline,  and  the  murder  of  those  who   were  on  board,   in 


our  own  waters,  mav  be  pnssed  over— mav  we  not  look  into  the  future  .-- 
With  what  view  Ims  (Jauada  l«een  held  ?  Have  any  advantages  warranted 
the  enormous  expenditures  there?  With  what  view  did  the  Governor  ot 
Canada,  Sir  J.  Craitr,  send  John  Henry  lo  Bvolon  I  Can  there  be  a  doubt, 
but  thai  Canada  has  been  held,  in  the  expectation  of  niaknig  it  a  wedge  to 
sever  our  Union?  I  have  understood,  that,  under  lord  (JasUereagh,  the 
use  to  which  Canada  mi^hl  be  put,  was  solemnly  discussed;  and  that, 
under  lord  ^V(■Hinoton,  aline  of  fortilications  for  future  purposes,  was 
traced  out,  and  partly  conslrucled.  In  a  late  del)ale,  on  the  Canada  ques- 
tion, in  the  Brili>li  hou^e  of  Peers,  the  lalter  said,  that  the  next  war  willi 
us  must  no!,  be  "a  little  war."  ,      cs-     ai  i„. 

In  a  |-,an.i.hlet,eniilU'd  -Canada  a  Kingdom,"  written  by  Sir  Alcxanc.cr 
Malet,  dedicated  lo  lord  llowick,  and  published  in  1H32,  there  is  the 
following  remarkable  pa8sai;e :  r      .•       i 

"The  aristocracy  of  weallh,  which  the  unexampled  progress,  of  national 
"  prosiieiity,  has  elevated  upon  the  surface  of  republican  instituiious  Lin 
"the  United  States,]  has  not  been,  and  should  not  be,  overlooked  by 
"En-dish  statesmen.  Let  ihem  raise  a  sceptre  on  the  banks  ot  the  M. 
"  Lawrence,  and  we  may  live  to  see  its  shadow  on  the  Delaware  and 

"Potomac."  ,    ^    .  1.1  r«;.. 

The  coincidence,  between  the  views  of  Sir  J.  Craig,  and  those  ol  b  r 
A..  Malet,  after  a  lapse  of  more  than  twenty  years,  shows  that  lirilisli 
statesmen  do  not  overlook  the  advantages,  which  their  country  may  (lerive 
from  our  dismemberment.  No  one  can  doubt  their  in(  Imation  to  witness 
it:  and  there  may  still  be  among  ourselves  some,  who  would  desire  to 
make  "  the  Potomac  the  boundary:"  The  British  possessions  in  America, 
therefore,  may  be  held  until  some  occasion  may  arise,  lu  lor  makiiii,^  the 
surrender  of  them  a  temptation,  to  raise   some  such   sceptre  as  is  Here 

referred  lo.  ,  ,  ,  t\j« 

You  may  regard  such  fears  as  chimerical.     1  hope  Uny  are  so.     iNo 
one  abhors  wars  more  than  1  do  ;  nor  is  there  any  one,  who  would  regret 
hostilities  with  England  especially,  more  than  I  would.     But,  ""bappiiy, 
apprehension  is  the  result  of  experience.     In  a  debate  en  the  Canada 
question,  in  the  British  House  of  Peers,  Lord  Brougham  saul,  he  hoped 
our  Union  might  long  endure;  for,  if  broken   up,  the  most  disastrous 
consequences  would  follow,  owing  to  the  natural  inclination  of  man  Ur 
war.     It  is  painful,  and  even  degrading,  to  think  so ;  and  yet  it  may  be 
hazardous  to  entertain  an  opposite  opinion.     Be  this  as  it  may,  certain  it 
is,  that  history  is  little  more  than  a  lecord  of  such  attrociiies,  f^s  ^yen  the 
callous  must  shudder  at.     Nations,  falsely  calling  themselves  Christians, 
have  out-run  all  barbarians  in  the  race  of  blood.     I  fear,  i'.  n,  therefore, 
fallacious  to   hope,   that,  even  if  we  shall  give   no  cause  of  alarm,  xe 
shall  escape  the  fate  of  othe-  States  ;  and,  consequently,  U  is  hazardous 
to   neglect   suitable    means  of  defence,    or  to  slille  a  spirit,    which   is 
essential  for  the  preservation  of  all  that  is  dear  to  man — 
Gens  ferri  paticns,  ac  Iceta  domare  labores, 
Paulatiin  aritiqiio  Patruni  dtsuescit  honori. 
Our  rapid  advancement  to  power,  as  a  republic,  is  well  calculated  to 
disturb  crowned  heads;  and  our  commercial  and  "jy^^P^^^^^^^'l'^^^" 
scarcely    be    contempUted    with    satisfaction,    by    England    especially. 
There  is  a  lurking  apprehension,  of  our  future  power,  which  is  perfectly 


consistpnl  Nviih  llie  history  of  mnritime  States.  It  is  true,  there  is  an 
obvious  reroiin,  in  the  conduct  oi  llie  people  and  {rovernmcnts  ol  particular 
countries  ;  hut  still  the  seUish  principle  rules  in  cabinets  as  well  as  in 
counting-houses.  II'  any  such  jealousy  or  enmity  shall  arise,  we  may 
defy  it,  if  Heaven  shall  endow  us  with  wisdom,  to  preserve  our  Union; 
but  "this  (says  Washington)  is  the  point  in  our  poluieal  fortress, 
"against  which  the  hatterii^s  of  internal  and  external  enemies,  will  be 
"  most  constantly,  ihouirh  covertly  directed." 

Such  reflections,  as  these,  made  me  dei)lore  our  conduct  to  Mexico. 
It  has  given  a  plausible  excuse  to  foieigncrs,  to  desire  lv>ciieck  our 
growth.  It  is  not  the  interest  of  mankitul,  that  we  should  become  the 
Russia  of  tlie  New  World.  Europe  has  a  deep  stake  in  the  trade  ot 
South  America,  Mexico  and  the  West  Indies.  Having  seen  some  ol 
our  Senators  pointing  to  the  Pacific,  as  our  declined  boundary  ;  and  con- 
templating Mexico  as  our  next  scene  of  insurrectionary  operation; 
European  statesmen  mav  consider  themselves  authorised  to  stop  us  in  our 
march.  How  that  may  be  done  may  become  fl.e  only  question;  and  the 
project  of  Sir  Alexander  Malel  mav  not  be  deemed  visionary. 

The  same  considerations,  which  made  me  deprecate  our  conduct  to 
Mexico,  influence  mv  wishes  as  to  Canada.  I  desire  that  we  may  give 
no  cause  of  ofTence,  or  pretext  for  retaliation  hereafter.  But,  at  the  same 
time,  if  we  interfered  at  all,  it  should  not  have  been  against  a  weak  and 
iinoflending  neighbour,  from  whom  we  had  nothing  to  apprehend  here- 
after; but,  in  favor  of  oppressed  neighbours,  against  a  power  holding  them 

as  a  rod  over  us.  . 

I  am  not,  however,  let  me  repeat,  for  any  interference,  that  is  not 
right  in  itself,  or  warranted  by  what  is  called  the  law  of  nations.  1 
am  not  ''or  approvimr,  as  to  Canada,  what  I  condemne  I  in  relation  to 
Mexico.  As  a  government,  we  have  quite  enough  to  do  at  home. 
Time,  the  press  and  steam  are  at  work  for  Canada,  for  ourselvses  and 
for  mankind.  The  liberty  of  Canada  may  be  won  m  Europe  or  in 
Asia.  It  must  be  ultimately  achieved.  Even  Machiavel  admits,  "It  is 
hopeless  to  reduce  to  slavery  a  people  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  freedom. 
In  the  meantime,  our  own  best  shields  are  honesty  and  fair  dealing  witli 
all  around  us,  be  they  weak  or  strong.  We  need  a  reputation,  especially 
for  being  content  with  what  wo  have.  We  want  condensation  and 
homogeneousness,  not  expansion  and  diversity. 

If  there  is  any  discrepancy,  between  what  I  wrote  as  to  Texas,  and 
what  I  nave  thus  said,  I  am  not  aware  of  it.  I  reprobated  the  armed 
invasion  of  the  territory  of  a  neighbour,  not  in  revolt.  1  condemned  the 
conspiracy,  among  our  own  citizens,  to  go  and  take  whole  provinces 
from  a  weak  and  unoffending  people,  who  were  under  no  f^oreign  yoke. 
I  appealed  to  the  sense  of  justice  of  our  country,  against  the  open  con- 
nivance of  our  government,  at  what  history  must  pronounce  dishonor- 
able. All  this  I  did  as  to  Texas,  and  would  do  so,  weie  the  case  ot  Canada 
parallel.  But  the  cases  are  wholly  dissimilar;  and  yet,  I  am  not  lor 
interference  by  our  government;  and,  since  it  is  the  requisition  of  the  law, 
1  am  not  for  the  interference  of  our  citizens. 

But,  while  these  are  my  sentiments,  I  still  wish  to  see  the  Canadians 
free,  and  I  am  not  surprised  at  the  efforts  of  some  of  our  citizens  to 
make  them  so.     'i'here  may  be   reckless  men  on  our  frontier,  as  there 


6 


arc  every  where.  Yel  I  am  not  prepared  to  cast  opprobrium  upon  ali, 
who  may  desire  to  help  their  neighbours.  I  could  not  do  so  without 
dishonoring  the  memory  of  thousands,  who  bled  to  secure  to  us  all  that 
M-e  ourselves  possess. 

If  our  countrymen,  who  have  interfered,  are  as  wrong,  as  is  repre- 
sented ;  I  maintain,  that  much  may  be  fairly  said  in  their  defence;  and  1 
will  state  to  you  a  few  of  their  apologies: 

1.  Let  ;t  be  borne  in  mind,  tiiat  the  fulhcrs,  or  grand-fathers,  of  many 
of  them,  mainly  contributeil  to  conquer  the  Frencli  possesions  in 
America.  The  descendantf=,  th(ircfure,  may  have  supposcil,  tl);it  they 
had  some  rightto  tread  upon  a  soil,  wliicli  had  been  wet  with  tlic  blood  of 

their  sires. 

2.  Let  it  be  borne  in  mind,  that  they  did  not  go,  as  tlic  governor  of 
Canada  sent  John  Henry,  as  spies  and  incendiaries,  to  excite  a  civil  war, 
where  there  was  peace ;  but  that  they  went,  with  arms  in  their  handrj, 
to  take  open  part  with  the  weak  and  the  oppressed  against  the  strong  and 
the  oppressors. 

3.  Let  it  be  borne  in  mind,  that  they  did  not  go  to  sccnie  cotton 
plantations,  or  to  introduce  slavery,  where  it  was  prohibited ;  but  that 
they  went  to  a  country,  barren,  when  compared  with  their  own,  to  strike 
off  the  shackles  of  their  neighbours,  friends  and  kindred. 

4.  Let  it  be  borne  in  mind,  that  they  did  not  go  to  a  certain  victory, 
as  in  Texas,  over  weak  and  despised  baijds,  but  to  a  deadly  struggle  with 
brave  and  disciplined  troops. 

5.  Let  it  be  borne  in  mind,  that,  in  our  4ih  of  July  orations  and 
toasts,  for  more  than  half  a  century,  we  have  been  paying  the  highest 
honors  to  the  volunteers  of  all  nations,  who  heli)cd  ourselves  to  break 
our  chains. 

6.  Let  it  be  borne  in  mind,  that  our  northern  oitizenn  loss  than  three 
years  ago,  saw  our  Executive,  some  of  our  Senators,  and  several  of  our 
southern  and  western  stales,  conniving  at,  and  even  aiding  vohuiieers,  to 
take  an  entire  country,  where  thetk:was  no  real  revolt. 

7.  Let  it  be  borne  in  mind,  that  they  saw  our  government  ac- 
knowledge the  independence  of  the  country,  thus  desi)oiled  from  a  weak 

neighbour.  .        .  .  t^     r  i 

8.  Let  it  be  borne  in  mind,  that  our  frontier  citizens  saw  Lnglish 
volunteers,  wherever  there  was  an  in?urrccti(m— in  France,  Spain,  Por- 
tugal,   Belgium,    Poland,    Circassia,  Cabul,  Mexico  and  the  Slates  of 

teouth  America. 

Is  it  wonderful,  then,  dial  humble  men,  who  usually  act  under  generous, 
however  erroneous,  impulses,  felt  a  desire  to  help  oppressed  neighbours, 
with  many  of  whom  there  existed  ties  of  blood  ?  \Vas  any  thing  more 
natural  than  for  them  to  say,  "  surely,  our  government,  after  wishing  our 
*'  own  citizens  to  extend  slavery  in  Texas,  cannot  upbraid  us  for  trying 
"to  extend  liberlv  in  Canada.  Surely,  after  extolling  the  foreigners, 
"  who  helped  us 'in  our  day  of  trial,  our  government  will  not  consider 
ti  „g  as  pirates  and  brii'^ands  for  imital^ig  their  example.     Surely  the 


English,  who  have  amassed  power,  b>  dividing  a 
stales,  in  Asia,  Europe  and  America,  will  not  d  -  ' 
in  any  ..ther  way,  than  they  insist  their  own  v 


d  weakening  o 


ther 


11  not  dare  to  treat  mir  volunteers 
olunteers  shall  be  treated, 


<•  namely,  as  prisoners  of  war,  w 


hen  taken  in  a  revolted  country, 


"Surely  wc  may  diead  the  future  machinations  of  the  English  on  our 
•*  frontier,  and  we  may  help  our  neighbours  to  form  a  government  for 
♦'  themselves,  from  which  we  may  not  apprehend  any  evil." 

Such,l  gay,  are  some  of  the  considerations,  which  may  have  naturally 
and  jusUy  arisen,  in  the  minds  of  our  frontier  citizens.  If  they  were 
not  right,  theve  is  ample  apology  for  far  greater  error.  If  there  is 
criminality,  in  any  quarter,  more  than  in  any  other,  that  quarter  is  the 
seat  of  our  own  government.  There  the  invasion  and  partition  of  Texas 
were,  I  doubt  not,  phmned.  From  that  quarter,  issued  the  authority 
to  General  (Jaincs,  to  take  post  in  Texas,  thus  countenancing  the  pro- 
ceedings there. 

And  yet,  what  is  the  result,  as  to  Canada  ?     What  is  the  condition  of 
.undreds  of  our  citizens,  misguided  by  their  own  government,  who  have 
been  taken  prisoners  there?     As  if  the  British  loyalists  were  not  suffi- 
ciently ferocious,   and  disposed  to  hang  them,  our  President  proclaims, 
that  he  will  not  interfere    between    them   and    the  ignominious  gibbet ! 
It  may  be,  that  there  is  a  precedent  for  this  in  Englisii  annals,  for  those 
annals,  unfortunately,  are  sufficiently  bloody  ;  l)ut,  if  tliere  is,  I  confess 
I  have  no  remembrance  of  it.     On  the  contrary,  1  do  not  believe  there  is 
a  true-hearted   English    statesman,    wjio    would  have  put  his  name,  to 
such  a  proclamation,  as   that    issued  on  the    2Ist    iiisl.,  by  our  Demo- 
cratic President,   "  in  the  03d  year  of  American  Independence."     If  any 
British   siatesnvan    would   forbear,    to   save    from    the   gallows,    English 
volunteers,  taken  in   arms  in  a  revolted  country,  he  would  not  proclaim 
iho  circumstance  to  the  world ;  much   less    would  he  do  it,  to  please  a 
po\'erful  nation,  after  having  just  before  applauded  volunteers,  who  in- 
vaded and  dismeiiibered  a  weak  one.     The  opposite  course,  I  think,  has 
been  pursued  by  the  British.     They  have  insisted,  that  English  volun- 
teers, taken  in  arms  in  a  revolted  country,  should  be  treated  as  prisoners 
of  war.     It  is  true,  thai,  in  our  own  revolution,  they  threatened  to  hang 
such  volunteers,  as  common  out-laws;  but  we  then  had  a  Washington, 
who  caused  those  volunteers  to  be  treated  as  prisoners  of  war,  by  de- 
nouncing retaliation  as  the  consequence  of  a  difTerent  treatment. 

Suppose,  for  a  moment,  that  the  Mexicans  had  hanged  those,  who  in- 
vaded Texas,  where  there  was  no  revolt ;  nay,  let  us  call  to  mind  the 
absolute  fact,  that  Santa  Anna  did  treat  those  volunteers  as  brigands,  seeing 
that  they  entered  a  country  at  peace,  uninvited,  and  palpably  for  selfish 
ends — what  was  the  consequence  ?  Our  whole  country  was  aroused,  to 
go  and  avenge  the  alledged  outrage!  And  yet,  the  late  Proclamation 
of  our  own  President,  as  to  our  citizens  in  Canada,  where  there  is  re- 
volt, justifies  what  Santa  Anna  did,  and  reprobates  our  sympathy  for  those, 
who  were  massacred  by  his  orders  ! 

Let  me  be  understood.  The  cases  of  Texas  and  Canada  are  wholly 
dissimUar.  We  had  no  complaint  against  the  Mexicans,  but  we  had 
against  the  English.  We  had  no  cause  to  fear  the  one,  but  we  had  to 
dread  the  machinations  of  the  other.  The  former  were  weak  and  the 
latter  are  powerf  d.  Yet  wc  connived  at  the  invasion  of  the  cnc,  where 
there  vvaa  no  tyranny ;  and  have  denounced  aid  to  the  other,  w-here 
there  is  tyranny.  We  invited  volunteers  from  all  countries,  to  help  us,  in 
our  own  day  of  trial,  the  French,  the  Poles  and  the  Irish  especially— 
and  yet  W'e  denounce  as  "nefarious"  any  interference  of  our  own  citizens 


8 


ill  I'iivor  of  our  oppressed  neighbours  !  I  do  not  appliud  interference, 
Hin('(!  the  I;i\v  forbids  it;  but,  1  do  say,  that  it  '  natural,  and  not  at  all 
Hiir[)ri.siiiir.  On  the  eontrary,  it  would  have  been  unnatural  and  astonisli- 
inj^,  if  there  .'lad  not  been  inierlerence.  'j'lie  criminality  is  upon  our  own 
government,  and  upon  them  will  rest  the  odium,  if  the  gibbets  in  Canada 
shall  be  adorned  with  American  heads. 

As  to  tlio  (Canadians  themselves,  they  must  at  last  be  free.  Revolutions 
nrver  go  back.  The  very  horrors,  now  perpetrated  in  their  country,  must 
keep  alive  all  the  passions,  that  are  most  fierce  and  productive  of  war.  The 
arl.<,  necessary  to  success,  in  arms,  will  be  learned.  'I'hey  will  be  growing 
stro.ig.  It  is  very  easy  la  UccMk^UiiikiaLe  exertions,  and  to  say  "those, 
who  would  be  free,  themselves  must  strike  the  blow."  1  say,  it  is  very 
easy  to  pretend,  that  the  Canadians  do  not  desire  freedom,  or  that  they  are 
not  oppressed,  because  they  have  not  conquered.  Such  suggestions  are 
utterly  fallaciov(S.  No  one  can  say,  that  the  Poles  or  the  Irish  arc  free,  or 
that  they  are  not  oppressed,  because  the  military  power  of  their  oppressors 
is  greater  than  their  own. 

Where  ia  the  slave  so  lowly 
Condemned  to  chains  unholy 

Who — could  he  burst 

His  chiiins  nt  first, 
Would  pine  l)cneath  them  slowly? 

AVhere  has  there  been  a  successful,  revolt,  without  foreign  aid  ?  Is  it 
certain  that  our  own  revolt  would  have  been  successful,  if  we  hr»d  been  left 
to  our  own  resources  ?  Wore  we  not  compelled  to  petition  kings  and  burgo- 
masters tt)  hel|)  us  ?  And,  with  all  that  kings  and  burgomasters  did,  were 
vi'e  not  struggling  for  seven  years,  ere  we  succeeded  ?  We  had  two  mil- 
lions ol  people — the  Canadians  have  not  one-.sixth  of  that  ntimber,  and  of 
these  a  fierce  minority  are  subsisting  upon  the  majority.  The  military 
force  to  over-awe  the  Canada^,  is  far  greater  in  proportioi:,  than  the  Eng- 
lish armies  in  our  own  -evolution.  It  is  cruel  and  unjust,  therefore,  to 
pretend  that  the  triumph  of  force,  in  Canada,  is  a  discredit  to  the  (^anadians, 
any  more  than  it  is  a  rebuke  to  Poland,  that  Russia  is  more  powerful. — 
There  are  more  prisoners  now  in  the  jails  of  Canada,  than  there  were  in 
the  jails  of  the  thirteen  colonics.  I  repeat  the  question,  what  revolt  ha:: 
been  successful  without  foreign  aid  ?  And  I  have  only  to  point  to  our  own 
revolt,  and  to  the  re  oUs  in  Mexico  and  South  America,  for  an  answer.—- 
Tlie  true  source  ''f  the  odium,  attempted  to  be  cast  upon  Canadians,  is  to 
be  traced  to  Briiisli  policy.  To  excuse  oppression,  the  oppressed  have 
always  been  held  up  to  derisioY*r''Tlfe^  Scotcli,  and  the  Irish,  nay  the 
people  of  our  own  country,  were  represented,  just  as  the  Canadians  now 
are.  If  the  Canudinns  are  not  accustomed  to  arms,  why  arc  they  not? — 
Because  it  I'.as  been  the  design  of  their  rulers,  that  they  should  be  ignorant. 
I  say  it  is  cruel,  llicrefor  \  in  Amerieans,  to  be  echoing  against  the  Cana- 
dians, such  sarcasiiis  as  wcn^  once  cast  upon  themselves. 

Although  I  say  all  this — although  I  have  written  to  you  this  hmg  letter — 
I  am  not  disposed  to  encourage  llie  Canadians  to  further  ciTorts  at  this  lime. 
•^  A,  war  in  Rurope.  a  revolt  in  IrelaLd,  or  in  India;  or  an  invasion  of  the 
latter,  may  eflect  at  an  early  day,  what  must  take  place  at  last — the  expul- 
sion of  Europeans,  as  masters  of  any  part  of  our  American  soil 


i'Oti 


rs. 


/lr<y//a?i  ^iii^*rj^ix^zt^^ 


